Pierwsza wojna światowa

On October 30, 2015, at 6.00 pm as part of
the exhibition program the Center for Urban History will host a lecture
"Laughter through Tears: Everyday Life in Revolutionary Ukraine
(1917-22)." Historian Stephen Velychenko will talk about the challenges
faced by people in a country swept by a revolution and the strategies they
chose in order to survive in the post-war chaos and poverty.

For most people who experienced the events
of 1917-1921 in Ukraine, national interests and social demands were lost in the
daily struggle for survival, says researcher Stephen Velychenko. Based on
archival documents, press publications, and eyewitness accounts, the historian
concludes that the changes of political regimes went unnoticed until they
started to endanger the health and safety of the population. The inhabitants of
Ukrainian cities and towns were forced to cope with the conditions of massive
inflation and high taxes, riots and unrest on the streets, lack of basic
necessities, unsanitary conditions, and epidemics. During the lecture, the
historian will discuss how these and other challenges influenced the formation
of national identities and political loyalties in revolutionary Ukraine.